Volume 5, Issue 2

Health &Wellbeing

‘Leading the way towards healthier, happier lives’

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There are several awareness days this month focused on mental health. On the 7th It’s time to talk day, from time to change with some top tips on listening strategies and supporting those around you. Then on the 25th February it’s eating disorders awareness week, learn how to support someone around you and how to get further support, advice and resources.

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This month’s recipe is a super healthy supergreen soup. Full of vitamins, easy to make and delicious too! Kick start your week by preparing healthy, easy meals you can pick up when you’re in a rush, without hassle.

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On page 5 find information about world cancer day. Read about risk factors and how you could change your lifestyle to reduce these. Find out how to join the campaign and raise awareness on the 4th February.

Contents

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The Health & Wellbeing Team

Zoe Moore Muscle and Exercise of the Month

Qualified: Level 3 Diploma’s in sport, exercise referral and sports massage from Suffolk New College

Aim: Currently working as a part of the rehabilitation team I am keen to keep exercises varied to be able to adapt at home and gym environments to fit around everyone’s lifestyles and making exercise accessible to everyone

Will Edwards Monthly Sport Specific Training Programmes

Qualified: Level 4 – Exercise Specialist in Cancer Rehabilitation

Aim: I love to show people different ways that they can add a bit more variety into their training plans. I believe it’s a case that we need to train smarter, not always harder

Frankie Wythe Editor, social media management, awareness days and charity support

Qualified: BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy from St George's University of London

Aim: To promote healthcare, public engagement, awareness of health conditions and support charities.

Francesca Davey Recipe of the Month

Qualified: BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy from Bournemouth University

Aim: I wanted to become part of the health and wellbeing team as a way of promoting health within our everyday lives. I believe being healthy is not always as difficult as people first believe, so I have created healthy recipes using easily accessible, often inexpensive ingredients to provide some alternatives of our favourite sweet treats.

Lee Platt Mental Health Awareness and Psychology

Qualified: MSc Physiotherapy and BSc Psychology, University of Essex Aim: Mental health and psychology affect everyone daily and are in everything we do therefore it's important to recognise ways of staying healthy and mindful of the mental health of ourselves and others.

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Recipe of the Month

Recipe of the Month

Ingredients

Serves 2

2tsp olive oil

1 white onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 white potato (approx. 150g), cubed

600ml vegetable stock

120g mixed spinach and watercress salad bag

20g pine nuts, toasted

150g natural yogurt

6 asparagus

Salt and pepper, to taste

Chilli oil, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the chopped

onion and cook until softened, but not coloured. Add the garlic and cook for a further 1-2 minutes.

2. Add the peeled and cubed potato and vegetable stock, and simmer for around 10-12 minutes or until the potato is cooked. Season with salt and pepper as required.

3. Halfway through the potatoes cooking, add the asparagus. 4. Then, add the bag of spinach/watercress and cook for a further one

minute or until the leaves have wilted. 5. Pour the mix into a blender, and blitz until smooth. 6. Serve straight away, with a dollop of natural yogurt, toasted pine

nuts and chilli oil if you fancy! 7. This soup will store in the fridge in an airtight container for a few

days, once completely cooled.

Supergreen Soup

Recipe from: BBC Good Food

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Recipe of the Month

World Cancer Day

www.worldcancerday.org

#IAmAndIWill Whoever you are, you have the power to reduce the impact of cancer for yourself, the people you love and for the world. It’s time to make a personal commitment.

The theme: 2019 - 2021 2019 marks the launch of the 3-year ‘I Am and I Will’ campaign. ‘I Am and I Will’ is an empowering call-to-action urging for personal commitment and represents the power of individual action taken now to impact the future.

A 3-year campaign for impact World Cancer Day is a campaign built to resonate, inspire change and mobilise action long after the day has passed.

A multi-year campaign offers a chance to create long-lasting impact by increasing public-facing exposure and engagement, more opportunities to build global awareness and impact-driven action.

Causes

Cancers can be caused by a number of different factors and, as with many other illnesses, most cancers are the result of exposure to a number of different causal factors. It is important to remember that, while some factors cannot be modified, around one third of cancer cases can be prevented by reducing behavioural and dietary risks.

Modifiable risk factors include:

Alcohol – The evidence that all types of alcoholic drinks are a cause of a number of cancers is now stronger than ever before. Alcohol can increase the risk of six types of cancers, including bowel (colorectal), breast, mouth, pharynx and larynx (mouth and throat), oesophageal, liver and stomach. The evidence suggests that in general, the most alcohol drinks people consume the higher the risk of many cancers, and that even moderate alcohol intake increases the risk of cancer.

Being overweight or obese – excess weight has been linked to an increased risk of developing 12 different cancers, including bowl and pancreatic cancers. In general, greater weight gain, particularly as adults, is associated with greater cancer risks.

Diet and nutrition – Experts suggest that diets and nutritional intake, particularly diets high in red meats, processed meats, salted foods and low in fruits and vegetables have an impact on cancer risks, particularly colorectum, nasopharynx and stomach.

Physical activity – regular physical activity not only helps to reduce excess body fat and the cancer risks associated with this, but being physically active can help to reduce the risks of developing colon, breast and endometrial cancers.

4th February

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Recipe of the Month

World Cancer Day

www.worldcancerday.org

Tobacco – Tobacco smoke contains at least 80 different cancer-causing substances (carcinogenic agents). When smoke is inhaled the chemicals enter the lungs, pass into the blood stream and are transported throughout the body. This is why smoking or chewing tobacco not only causes lung and mouth cancers but is also related to many other cancers. The more a person smokes, the younger they start, and the longer they keep smoking, all further increase the risk of cancer. Currently tobacco use is responsible for around 22% of cancer deaths.

Ionising radiation – Manmade sources of radiation can cause cancer and are a risk for workers. These include radon, x-rays, gamma rays and other forms of high-energy radiation. Prolonged and unprotected exposure to ultraviolet radiations from the sun, sunlamps and tanning beds can also lead to melanoma and skin malignancies. Fair skinned people, individuals with a lot of moles or who have a family history of melanoma or non-melanoma skin cancer, are at highest risk. However, people of all skin tones can develop skin cancer, including individuals with darker skin.

Work place hazards – Some people risk being exposed to a cancer-causing substance because of the work that they do. For example, workers in the chemical dye industry have been found to have a higher incidence than normal of bladder cancer. Asbestos is a well-known workplace cause of cancer - particularly a cancer called mesothelioma, which most commonly affects the covering of the lungs.

Infection – Infectious agents are responsible for around 2.2 million cancer deaths annually. This does not mean that these cancers can be caught like an infection; rather the virus can cause changes in cells that make them more likely to become cancerous.

Around 70% of cervical cancers are caused by Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections, while liver cancer and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma can be caused by the Hepatitis B and C virus, and lymphomas are linked to the Epstein-Barr virus.

Bacterial infections have not been thought of as cancer-causing agents in the past, but more recent studies have shown that people who have helicobacter pylori infection of their stomach develop inflammation of the stomach lining, which increases the risk of stomach cancer.

4th February

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Pathology of the Month

Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome

This pathology is also commonly know as shin splints,. This is when pain occurs in the front of the lower leg which is normally caused by an increase in exercise.

Symptoms: pain soon during/after exercise, pain gradually improves with rest and can occur on both sides. Pain will occur in the bottom 1/3 of the shin and will be painful to touch along this area. Onset: can be brought on by a sudden change in activity levels, repetitive running on hard or uneven surfaces, being overweight or having flat feet. Treatment: switching to low impact activities, regular pain relief, ice and rest. The calf complex is made up of the Gastrocnemius (more superficial) and the Soleus (deeper) which merge to combine and form the Achilles tendon which attaches into the heel bone at the back of the leg (Calcaneous). At the front of the lower leg there are several smaller muscles which mainly attach to the Fibula or Tibia, these muscles allow us to pull our toes up towards us and rotate our ankle.

Ways in which we can reduce the chance of shin splints:

Wearing footwear which provides good support and cushioning, it sometimes helps to speak to podiatry or a specialist running shop for advice on the best footwear for you.

Running on flat, soft surfaces whenever possible.

When making changes to activity levels do this gradually as advised.

Trying to mix types of exercise to avoid consistent high impact with strengthening and cardiovascular exercise. E.g. swimming then running

If necessary having the option to lose weight.

Instructions: 1. Start on the edge of a step or standing on the floor. 2. Gradually raise your heel up off the step/floor to the highest point that feels comfortable. 3. If performing on step you can lower into dorsiflexion to challenge range of movement.

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Time To Talk

www.time-to-change.org.uk

However you do it, make a conversation about mental health

Mental health problems affect one in four of us, yet people are still afraid to talk about it. Time to Talk

Day encourages everyone to talk about mental health.

This year’s Time to Talk Day is all about bringing together the right ingredients, to have a conversation

about mental health. Whether that’s tea, biscuits and close friends or a room full of people

challenging mental health stigma, we want you to get talking. We know talking about mental health is

not always easy. But starting a conversation doesn’t have to be awkward, and being there for someone

can make a huge difference.

There is no right way to talk about mental health, but these tips will guide you to make sure you’re

approaching it in a helpful way.

Think about the time & place

Sometimes it’s easier to talk side by side rather than face to face. So, if you do talk in person, you might

want to chat while you are doing something else. You could start a conversation when you’re walking,

cooking or stuck in traffic. However, don’t let the search for the perfect place put you off!

Don't try & fix it

It can be hard to see someone you care about having a difficult time but try to resist the urge to offer

quick fixes to what they’re going through. Learning to manage or recover from a mental health problem

can be a long journey, and they’ve likely already considered lots of different tools and strategies. Just

talking can be really powerful, so unless they’ve asked for advice directly, it might be best just to listen.

Treat them the same

When someone has a mental health problem , they’re still the same person as they were before. And

that means when a friend or loved one opens up about mental health, they don’t want to be treated any

differently. If you want to support them, keep it simple. Do the things you'd normally do.

Be patient

No matter how hard you try, some people might not be ready to talk about what they’re going through.

That’s ok – the fact that you’ve tried to talk to them about it may make it easier for them to open up

another time.

And there are lots of things you can do to support them

even if you’re not talking:

Doing things together

Sending a text to let them know you’re thinking of

them

Offering to help with day-to-day tasks.

7th February

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Eating Disorder Awareness Week

www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk

Join Beat’s Eating Disorders Awareness Week campaign to show eating disorders do not discriminate,

and that everyone who gets one deserves fast, high-quality treatment.

Stereotypes would have you believe that eating disorders are not serious illnesses and they always take

the same form, that only white middle-class women and girls suffer. These stereotypes are dangerous,

they discourage people from seeking help, make it less likely for employers and, in some cases,

healthcare professionals to take them seriously and also it makes them harder to be spotted by the

sufferer or a loved one.

By their nature, eating disorders are secretive and stigmatised. We know how hard it can be to ask for

treatment and it is even harder if a person doesn’t meet the expectations of what a person with an eating

disorder ‘should’ look like. This is wrong. It has to change.

Together, we need to break down barriers, help people to understand that they are deserving of

help and support no matter their eating disorder diagnosis, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, age or

background.

This Eating Disorders Awareness Week help us put stories of how eating disorders affect people from all

walks of life in the spotlight and stand together to demand the support that those affected need and

deserve.

What you can do to help:

Hold a Sock It to Eating Disorders fundraising activity or day in your workplace, school, or community to raise funds, challenge stigma and change lives – and remember to wear your boldest, brightest socks all week!

Tell your MP why they must take action on eating disorders at our campaigner lobby day in Parliament on Wednesday 27 February.

Share your story. Tell us how stereotypes about eating disorders affected you and help us break down barriers so others can seek and find help.

Display our posters in your local community. Share our messages on social media during Eating Disorders Awareness Week

using #sockittoeatingdisorders.

Find more resources on the Beat website at: www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk

25th February

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Rare Disease Day

https://www.rarediseaseday.org/

Rare Disease Day takes place on the last day of February each year. The main objective of Rare Disease Day is to raise awareness amongst the general public and decision-makers about rare diseases and their impact on patients' lives.

The campaign targets primarily the general public and also seeks to raise awareness amongst policy makers, public authorities, industry representatives, researchers, health professionals and anyone who has a genuine interest in rare diseases. Why? Building awareness of rare diseases is so important because 1 in 20 people will live with a rare disease at some point in their life. Despite this, there is no cure for the majority of rare diseases and many go undiagnosed. Rare Disease Day improves knowledge amongst the general public of rare diseases while encouraging researchers and decision makers to address the needs of those living with rare diseases. Who? Since Rare Disease Day was first launched by EURORDIS and its Council of National Alliances in 2008, thousands of events have taken place throughout the world reaching hundreds of thousands of people and resulting in a great deal of media coverage. We especially thank our official Rare Disease Day partners, the National Alliances. These are umbrella organisations who group together several rare disease organisations in a given country or region. Click on a logo of one of the National Alliances to go to their website.

Key figures A disease or disorder is defined as rare in Europe when it affects fewer than 1 in 2000.

A disease or disorder is defined as rare in the USA when it affects fewer than 200,000 Americans at any given time.

One rare disease may affect only a handful of patients in the EU (European Union), and another may touch as many as 245,000. In the EU, as many as 30 million people may be affected by one of over 6000 existing rare diseases.

80% of rare diseases have identified genetic origins whilst others are the result of infections (bacterial or viral), allergies and environmental causes, or are degenerative and proliferative.

50% of rare diseases affect children.

28th February

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Raynaud’s Awareness Month

Raynaud's disease is where the small blood vessels in the extremities such as hands and feet, fingers or toes are over-sensitive to even the slightest changes in temperature, the cold and sometimes stress. This causes a Raynaud's attack where the fingers sometimes change colour, but not always, from white, to blue, to red. Raynaud's phenomenon is a common condition thought to affect up to ten million people in the UK and can impact your life. A Raynaud's attack can be a very uncomfortable, possibly painful, process. It can also make everyday tasks, like buttoning a jacket or unzipping a purse, very difficult. Raynaud's symptoms generally affect the fingers and toes, but all extremities can be involved, including the hands, feet, ears, nose, lips, tongue and nipples.

Raynaud's symptoms are:

a colour change in the extremities such as hands or feet

cold extremities and numbness

tingling or pain How serious is Raynaud's?

There are two different types of Raynaud's, Primary and Secondary. Primary is usually the less serious of the two types as the condition is mild and manageable whilst people experiencing secondary Raynaud's will usually have more severe symptoms.

Primary Raynaud's

This is usually mild and manageable and there are ways to help manage the symptoms. People with primary Raynaud's symptoms have no other complications, and only occasionally go on to develop a related problem. People with Primary Raynaud's should book an appointment with their GP if they are worried about symptoms or it impacts their life through pain, or if they have any other symptoms, or an other health condition. Secondary Raynaud's

This is where Raynaud's is caused by another condition, usually an autoimmune condition like scleroderma or lupus. Secondary Raynaud's needs more investigation and more careful monitoring for complications like ulceration or sores. People who have noticed a change in their symptoms, are worried about their symptoms, if they have any other symptoms, or an other health condition should book an appointment with their GP promptly and ask about Raynaud's diagnosis. Although there is no cure for Raynaud's, it can be treated. The key to managing Raynaud's symptoms is to try to prevent an attack - planning ahead is vital. Here are some ways you can manage Raynaud's phenomenon.

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www.sruk.co.uk

Keep warm- Do all you can to avoid cold environments, touching cold items or spending time in areas where temperatures fluctuate.

Relax and pace yourself- Try to steer clear of stressful situations as stress and anxiety can trigger an attack. Take rests when you can to avoid getting too fatigued.

The Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA UK) describes a good way of helping to focus on your breathing, called controlled breathing, (also known as diaphragmatic breathing) which uses your diaphragm and lower chest muscles. To try this technique, follow the steps below:

Get into a comfortable position where your neck, shoulders and back are well supported, such as in an upright chair with armrests or by leaning against a wall.

Relax your shoulders, neck and arms.

Place your hands on your tummy, just above your belly button.

Give a little cough- the muscle you feel under your hand is your diaphragm.

As you breathe in, allow your tummy to swell- you'll feel your hands rising and being pushed out by your diaphragm and tummy muscles.

As you breathe out, relax and let your tummy fall. For more information on how to control your breathing, or for breathlessness in general, please phone 01270 872776 and request a booklet. Alternatively, you can find out more information on the NHS Choices website.

Complimentary therapies

Complimentary therapies can bring relief from symptoms for some. These are listed within our treatments section. Speak to your doctor about treatments

One drug, Nifedipine, a calcium channel blocker, is licensed for Raynaud's, and there are drugs that are prescribed commonly for Raynaud's too. Nifedipine doesn't cure Raynaud's, but can help to relieve symptoms. Other medications have been used to treat Raynaud's, with mixed results, and more can be found on our treatments page.

Iloprost is available for extreme cases.

Botox is an experimental Raynaud's treatment, which may reduce blood vessel spasm and block pain nerves. Increasing amounts of research is emerging for it, but it is only used in selected cases and usually only in specialist centres.

Some Raynaud's sufferers have found acupuncture alleviates symptoms.

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Yoga Pose of the Month

Step one foot back into a high lunge position, lie the midline of your torso down the midline of your opposite thigh.

From the lunge position, stretch your arms forwards, parallel to the floor and parallel to each other, palms facing together.

Exhale and press the heel into the floor, synchronise the straightening of the front leg and lifting of the back leg.

As you straighten the front knee, press your thighbone back to centre hip and heel.

The arms, torso and raised leg should be positioned relatively parallel to the floor. Release the hip of the raised leg toward the floor until the two hip points are even and parallel to the floor.

Take the back leg behind you whilst reaching forward, bring the head up and look forwards.

Stay in the position for 30-60 seconds, then release and repeat on the opposite side.

Warrior III Pose

www.yogajournal.com

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